Associated Press November 3, 2023, 2:49 pm ET2 minute read
German soccer club Mainz terminated the contract of Dutch striker Anwar El Ghazi on Friday after he posted on social media about the Israel-Hamas war.
Mainz’s announcement came two days after El Ghazi disputed the club’s version of overturning an earlier ban. The German news agency dpa reported on Friday that the public prosecutor’s office in the city of Koblenz is also investigating.
Mainz originally suspended El Ghazi on October 17, saying he had posted and then deleted a message about the war that the club deemed “unacceptable.”
On Monday, the club announced that his suspension had been lifted and he would receive a reprimand. Mainz said that after discussions with management, El Ghazi “regrets the publication of the post and also shows remorse for the negative impact.” The club added that the player “also stated that he does not question Israel’s right to exist.” .
Anwar El Ghazi only made three appearances for Mainz.Getty Images
However, in another social media post on Wednesday, El Ghazi pointed out that the club had made its statement without his permission.
“I have no regrets and no remorse for my position,” the player wrote. “I do not distance myself from what I said and I stand today and always until my last breath for humanity and the oppressed.”
The 28-year-old El Ghazi, who previously played for PSV Eindhoven, Aston Villa and Everton, joined Mainz as a free agent in September. He made three appearances as a substitute for the team that is last in the Bundesliga.
Responding to Mainz’s announcement that his contract was terminated on Friday, El Ghazi posted: “The loss of my livelihood is nothing compared to the hell unleashed on the innocent and vulnerable in Gaza.”